Restart
by Yotsubrain
Summary: A story based on Ore wo Suki Nano wa Omae dake ka yo. Joro decides to transfer schools after having had enough of the treatment he was experiencing at school. But just what is he leaving behind? And what is he taking with him?
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, I'm trying out a new series (well, for anime fans anyway). I started reading this since last year but since I can't read Japanese nor have the means to get the books, this story had just been in the back of my head. Well, I hope you guys enjoy this anyway. Just be warned there might be some spoilers.**

**This picks up after the harem confronts Joro in the library and his life turns to shit.**

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"Feelings aren't something you can screw with!"

Kisaragi "Joro" Amatsuyu, a man who had been double crossed more times than what he can tolerate, was finally getting back at his best friend Taiyou "Sun-chan" Oga. They were at the library, accompanied by Sumireko "Pansy" Sanshokuin. Joro held Sun-chan by his collar, reprimanding him for making fun of his suitors' feelings.

"Why are you still defending them, even though they used you too?" Once Joro promised he would beat up Sun-chan if he didn't, Sun-chan accepted his fate. Once again, Joro was the better man.

"Even if that's what you see now... in the end, I still know that's not the only way to look at them. They have plenty of good points too."

"I understand... I will apologise to them..." Sun-chan forfeited.

"Good job on not causing a bloodfest in the library." Pansy immediately cut right in.

Indeed, Joro handled that situation better than anyone would expect. After experiencing a lot of shenanigans including having his romantic interests confess to him about liking his best friend, and enlisting his help in developing a romantic relationship with said best friend, only to end up being manipulated in his best friend's own romantic endeavors, culminating in Joro becoming the scumbag of the school, Joro would have been in the deepest pits of despair. Finally venting out his frustrations would have been justified, but he chose to defend his betrayers instead.

"Joro, what are you going to do now?"

"It doesn't matter. This is what I deserve." Joro weighed the situations inside his mind. If Sun-chan speaks up for him now, it would only cause more misunderstandings and most likely lose him the respect he has earned being the star of the baseball club. "So don't tell anyone what happened today."

"Is that so... once again... you..." Sun-chan was at a loss. Even in his lowest point, Joro still managed to be above him.

"You too Pansy, don't tell anyone about this."

"Ho? Are you ordering me? Or is that a request instead?" Pansy decided to tease him one more time.

"Then, let's call it... whispers of live. How's that sound?"

"Ara. If you put it like that, how can I refuse?"

"Still, Joro. I still haven't lost to you yet." Sun-chan renewed his resolve, and exited the room.

Recounting his losses, Joro explained himself to Pansy. All of his experiences, the exhausting few weeks he had building others' relationships, and his rough few days once the rumors spread that he was messing with everyone all along.

"Ho? Is that so? You have lost everything then." Pansy teased him once again.

"Yeah, I did lose everything."

"The only one you have left is ME!"

"Yep, everything." Joro forced his answer once again.

Understanding his reason for answering that way, Pansy smiled. "You are so kind."

"Coming from you, I'm not flattered at all." Joro smiled back. "Hmph, in the first place, you should be apologising to me. You're the reason I became like thi-" Pansy immediately stood up and bowed to apologise.

"That's true. I'm the reason you're suffering like this. I sincerely apologise. I want to make it up to you, so you can ask me to do anything you want."

"Anything, huh? Then don't meet me ever-"

"Rejected."

"Didn't you say anything?! Fiiinee, but I can't think of anything else though."

"Then let me request something of you."

"How does that work?"

"Hey, are you coming back to the library?"

"I don't see any reason to."

"Really?" Pansy made numerous adorable, pouty faces, constantly twirling her hair around and showing her disappointment, as if to appeal to Joro's pity. "I want to see you..." If she wasn't flat and creepy Joro wouldn't have been able to resist.

"I don't want to see you." Joro tried to be cold and looked away.

"You really really won't be coming back?" Pansy insisted.

"Don't make me say it twice!"

"Please? Don't you feel like you still owe me for helping you out and taking you in?"

Joro thought about it. No matter how you slice it, what Pansy said was still true, being the only one to stick by him, creepy as she were. "Listen, Pansy... Why don't we talk on that bench over there?" He pointed to the same bench Pansy confessed to him on.

"Ara? Is Joro-kun going to confess?" Her hopes were held high, but she knew that wasn't what he was going to do. Maybe he was going to negotiate with her regarding his visits.

Once they sat down, Joro tried to look at Pansy but couldn't, so he looked at the ground instead. "I'm switching schools." The message was short and simple, with an underlying sadness hidden in his words.

All of Pansy's excitement left. Anxiety came in and took its place. "What?!"

"Haaah. Like I said, I'm switching schools."

"Why?!" For once, Pansy didn't understand what was happening. Or maybe she didn't want to. Considering that she basically had full control over Joro's life until this point, she didn't expect this to happen. Joro was the type of man to take everythingin stride for his friends, never once complaining to anyone else, but she knew that he would always stick by his friends. Was the unfair treatment finally getting to him?

"You should know better than anyone that I have no social life left in this school." Joro quickly pointed out, as if it wasn't obvious enough already.

"I don't-"

"No one looks at me the way they did before." He kept on interrupting Pansy's retorts.

"Then what about Oga-kun? What about Akino-san and Hinata-kun?" Pansy tried to regain control of the flow of the conversation. She was playing cards she would have played later, if only to convince Joro.

"What about them?"

"Don't you think they deserve to know the truth?" Pansy insisted. No matter how you slice it, it was unhealthy to keep this intense of a secret all by herself. Not that she was going to, anyway.

"What truth is there to tell?" Joro remained unconvinced. His sorrow creeping its way up his face.

"That you're not at fault!"

"Is that what you think?" Joro smirked at her. His "dark side", as it were, was showing itself. He was obviously unhappy, and it looked like he was forcing himself.

"Yes!"

"Even though I'm the scumbag of the school?"

"I know better than to call you that."

"No you don't. I'm the scumbag of the school and that's not changing." Joro was letting more and more of his despair show itself. He had apparently accepted his fate, and decided to leave altogether.

"Perhaps if people knew the truth, that might change." Pansy wanted to let him know that there was still hope.

"You believe that will happen?"

"Yes! We'll tell Hinata-kun and Akino-san!" Pansy eagerly informed him.

"Ha. So that was your plan?" Joro's reply confirmed Pansy's fears. Joro wasn't accepting her plan anytime soon.

"If we tell them you won't have to switch-"

"Pansy, that's enough. I'll be switching schools soon."

"But we won't know unless we try."

"Haaahhh... This is the reason why I didn't want anyone to know."

"We'll explain to everyone. You're a kind person, and no one should believe otherwise. We're going to help you!"

"... Maybe... But what's going to happen then?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"If you try to paint me as a good guy, then who will end up as the bad guy?" Joro already weighed what will happen. He knew that redemption came at a cost. And the ones paying for it won't be him.

"You don't mean..."

"I'm the scumbag that masterminded everything. I'm the one that used Himawari, Cosmos, and Sun-chan for my own goals. This is just me getting my just desserts."

"But-"

"You know, there's a reason I thought I liked both Cosmos and Himawari. They're good women, and I liked them because of that. Even though you could say they used me, in the end they were just victims of love." Joro didn't want to let anyone else to take the blame for such a messy situation. Indeed, only one person being harmed was far and away more favorable than three, and he was dead set on taking the brunt of the damage.

"But if you do this, everyone will just keep on hating you!"

"And I deserve it. After all, I played around with their feelings. Besides, if I do this, their reputations won't be at risk." Joro played it off as if he was actually a villain.

"And you're fine with just leaving it at that? Letting them hate you?" Pansy's tears kept flowing, and her voice was cracking under the intense grief of hearing his words.

"Sure. At this point I couldn't care less what they think of me. I don't deserve them anyway."

"But Joro-kun... there's a limit on how nice you can be." Pansy pulled on his shirt with one hand and held his wrist with the other.

"It's fine. If I do this, everyone wins." Joro insisted. From his point of view, everyone wouldn't lose, everyone except him. Which was why he was taking himself away from that setting.

"What about me then? How am I winning? Wouldn't you stay to protect me?" Pansy's tears flowed non-stop. Even Joro was moved. Her words sounded desperate, and her face was red.

"Protect you from what? Sun-chan now wouldn't dare lay a finger on you. You didn't even need me. With how cleverly you have set up everything, I'm sure you have what it takes to protect yourself. If anything, I'm protecting myself by moving." Joro tried once more to play it off. It didn't work, however, only worsening Pansy's cries.

"Joro-kun... won't you stay?"

"..." Pansy's last question was met with silence. Joro just couldn't answer her anymore.

Suddenly, Pansy's grip tightened. Before he knew it, one of his hands was already placed on her chest, and lips were already on top of hers. "Please... don't leave me... I don't want to be alone..." Pansy has never been so feminine. If this wasn't Pansy, he would have pushed her down on the spot.

"..." Joro's first kiss was just taken, yet he couldn't react. A mix of guilt and melancholy flowed over him.

"You still owe me, Joro-kun. Please stay... at least until the week ends, please stay. I'll take you in if anything happens." Pansy let go of his hand.

"..." Joro gulped. "Fine..." Joro exited the library, leaving Pansy alone. As he was walking down the hallway, he whispered to himself. "I'm sorry Pansy... sayonara."

Meanwhile, Pansy was crying her heart out on the bench. "Joro-kun, you meanie... Please come back..." As she recomposed herself, she walked down to a corner of the library. Tears still flowing down her face, she talked to two figures. "People in the normal seats... Joro-kun just left... The man I love left, all to protect his friends..." As she wiped her tears, she looked at them. "So now you see, that's the Joro-kun I fell in love with." Pansy tried to boast with a smile to hide her despair.

A girl with red hair was crying on the chest of another girl with light pink hair, who was also tearing up. "Joro-kun is willing to go that far..." Cosmos cried at her.

"We're going to get Joro back! *sniff* We have to!" Himawari claimed as she wiped her tears.

The next day, Kisaragi Amatsuyu did not show up in school.

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**So yeah, I like this series and was stoked when I found out it was getting an anime. So far I feel the adaptation is really well done, and I am stoked to get to know more of the story. If you guys know where and how to read the light novels, I would appreciate if you hit me up about it. **

**Also, please help me in emailing so that we can get Ore wo Suki its own category. That's all for now, thanks.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N. Hey, so I realize that some people really want me to continue this story. Sorry about there being no updates, a lot of stuff happened. Anyway, stay safe and wash your hands everyone, and enjoy the story.**

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A new morning. A new beginning. That's right, this is the start of my new life.

I decided to switch schools following "that incident". More accurately, I transferred a couple weeks after. The day the rumors started spreading, I knew it was only going to get worse. That's why I immediately started on the paperwork necessary for the transfer. It wasn't easy, considering my mom was especially mad and confused at that sudden decision. I decided to let some of that notorious "evil aura" out and confessed that I have been thinking about it for a while and succeeded in convincing her. I did say a goodbye to Pansy, but that was it. No heartfelt goodbye, no "let's meet again" with anyone. Who would I even say those things to? Certainly not the bitches and assholes who used me.

"Haaah. I shouldn't be thinking of them so early in the morning." The new school I had transferred to wasn't near, but it wasn't far either. It was basically a train ride away. While I did miss needing to only walk to get to school, this wasn't so bad. Best of all I wouldn't be hit on my back everyday by some bimbo. "Not good, I promised myself I would forget about them." As I talked to myself, I saw a few students look at my direction. I shrugged it off.

Oh yeah, I also decided to let go and not put up the kind image I had before.

Basically, that didn't really work out in the last school. All it got me was more trouble than if I had actually just minded my own business. So I decided to just let go and let things come naturally. Granted, I'm not really some pure evil type magnificent bastard that I would be rude to everyone I just met or something like that. I am still capable of doing good deeds, it's just that I won't hold myself back anymore if something pisses me off.

"Yeah, I don't really care about images anymore. At least I won't be ostracized here anymore." I got off the train station along with my fellow students, though the way that they looked at me tells me that they heard me mumbling to myself. Come to think of it, they were wearing the same uniform as me. Guess this school really does attract attention. I thought I was the only one dumb enough to go to a school so far away when there was one within walking distance, but I guess not.

"Nice to meet you, my name is Kisaragi Amatsuyu. I am in your care." Yep, those are my introductions, as standard and cliche as it could get.

"Heeeh, that's a long name dude." Some guy at the back decided to blurt out.

"Tch, and I thought the new transfer student was going to be a girl!" Another one complained. Sorry I didn't meet your expectations then.

"Doesn't matter, look at him, he looks cute, like a puppy." Some cheers of praise to balance it out I guess, not that I really care.

"Actually, you can call me Joro. It comes from removing 月 from my name. It's easier that way."

"I see. Once again, nice to meet you, Joro-kun. You can take the seat at the back."

I proceed to the back as instructed, and quietly work my way through the lessons. I did miss a few weeks of school but this is a lot of material! I recognize the last lessons from my previous school, but in each subject there's a gap of at least five lessons between what I knew then and what I'm supposed to be studying now!

"Seems like you're having some trouble there." My seatmate seemed to notice my plight.

"Don't worry about it. I can manage."

"No, no, that won't do. Here." Before I knew it, a notebook appeared on my table, complete with all the relevant notes for the lessons. "You can borrow that for now. Feel free to copy what's in there after class."

"Th-thank you." To think that there were kind people in this world. God hasn't abandoned me after all.

"Yasuo. Yasuo Hozuki, but you can call me Hose. Nice to meet you, Joro." With that, it seems I have made myself a new friend.

"Li-likewise. Anyway, thanks. I'll be sure to return the notebook afterwards." The lessons flew by after that, and before I knew it, it was already lunchtime. I finish copying (taking pictures) Hose's notes then go for lunch. It seems he went out before me so I'll just give his notebooks back later. I grab a sandwich and a can of juice for my lunch. I spotted Hose going back to the room so I decide to catch up to him.

Unfortunately, I'm still unfamiliar with the school layout and ended up coming into the wrong room by mistake.

"Hose... whoops. Wrong room... excuse me..." I try to close the door but their gazes were all directed at me. I figured it wouldn't make a good impression if I just ignored that.

It turns out Hose was visiting a few friends. Well, it's not all that surprising. I'm the transfer student with no friends here.

"Oh, is that the new transfer student? What brings you here?" The girl with pink hair styled into loops asked.

"My bad. I got into the wrong room by mistake."

"Really? But you were saying Hose's name just now?" Another girl with short light blue hair asked.

"Ehehe. I thought I saw Hose come into the room. I just wanted to thank him for lending his notes."

"Don't worry about it, Joro. Why don't you go introduce yourselves since you're here already?"

"Ah, right. I'm Amatsuyu Kisaragi, but you can call me Joro."

"Then I'm Momo Sakurabara, the student council president. You can call me Cherry." The girl with pink hair explained it came from removing 原 from her name.

"I'm Runa Kusami. I don't have a title position." She said that with so much confidence. "Hmm, actually, I am childhood friends with Hose, so there's that. Call me Tsukimi if you want." Finished the blue haired girl in turn, apparently coming from removing 草 from her name and swapping the characters around.

"Nice to meet you two. Well, I'll get going then so I won't bother you having lunch."

"Lunch? Aha. Ahaha. Ahahaha..." For some reason, a black aura seemed to radiate from Cherry-san. And how, there was a stack of papers on her desk with no lunch in sight.

"Uhmm... is there a problem?"

"Oh, it's nothing. Just a pile of budgeting paperwork the clubs decided to file at the last minute. You know, simple stuff."

"Oh, is that all?"

"Yeah, and to top it all off I even forgot my bento back home! It's like they don't want me to even eat!" Cherry-san looked like a crazy woman who had been pushed to her limits.

"Now, now, Cherry, it's not nice to use him to vent out your frustrations." Sexual innuendo aside, Hose did have a point. Well, she looked pitiful though, so I didn't mind.

"Sorry, sorry. But Hose and Tsukimi, you won't even help."

"Well, I sort of have my plate full at the moment." Hose admitted to her.

"Don't say plate!"

"Besides, as the student council president, don't you think it's your responsibility to finish all that?" Tsukimi interrupted.

"Actually, if it's paperwork like that,maybe I can help." I know that I didn't need to get involved, and that I might be doing another unnecessary good deed, but I'm not so cold-hearted that I can ignore such an obvious cry fro help. Besides, these people weren't really pushing my buttons yet, and I did owe Hose a favor.

"Really? Then if you can sort this out really quickly I would very much appreciate it. The materials are all on the desk. I'm just going to go grab some lunch, okay? It'll be quick I promise!" Some of those words were barely audible, considering she was already saying them while sprinting through the hallway.

"Sorry about this. Cherry gets like that when she is stressed about something."

"Yeah, I can tell. It's not nice to put down so much stress on a person." It hurts that I'm speaking from experience, but at the same time I'm relieved that we can all take a load off our shoulders.

"What is this?" I hold a piece of paper detailing the school's budget. More precisely, the school's budget for one club. To think that they can spare this much! I look at the overall budget and, sure enough, their budget has an extra digit compared to the one from my previous school. With this, it's going to be really easy sorting out the money each club needs, and then some. I proceed to go to work.

"I'm baack! Sorry it took so long." Said Cherry-san with bread still in her mouth.

"Umm, Cherry-san?" I took a deep breath

"Yes, Joro-kun? I can take over now."

"No, it's not that. Actually, yeah, feel free to check if I did it correctly." I stood up from the chair to let her sit down. "How do you balance a budget this big?"

"Oh that? Well let's see your work first." She scanned the forms I made and seemed satisfied with them. I did follow her guidelines that she left on the table. "I see. You're hired."

"Eh?"

"About your question, usually it ends up back to the school funds. To be honest, they just spend it all on an end of the year festival, so they can say that they spent it all and can request the same amount for the following year."

"Huh?"

"More importantly, I'm very happy with your work. I didn't expect a budget this effective and efficient. To be honest I just thought you were going to divide the budget by the number of clubs or something like that. My bad Joro."

"Eh? No no no, what's this about me being hired?"

"Hmm? To be part of the student council of course! You look like a responsible kid, why not take a position that suits you?"

"Wait, wait wait?! I just budgeted for you?!"

"See, the fact that you can say "just budgeted" might be the reason you're being selected here. It's not an easy job, you know? Plus you did it all in the span of Cherry stuffing her face." Tsukimi backed Cherry-san's proposal.

"Now I know you're just messing with me."

"Joro, don't be like that. Don't devalue your work and make it seem worthless. Still, Cherry, I don't think it's nice that you're forcing a heavy role on him, more so that he just transferred." Luckily, Hose came to my rescue. Is this guy great or what? Also, that bit about my work having value, that was so touching.

"Ahaha. My bad again Joro. But seriously, this is great. Do you have experience with this or something?"

"I used to help with that kind of stuff back at my old school." I didn't realize it, but I had tilted my head down. It was for the better though, I didn't know what kind of face I was making now that I had been reminded of her.

"Really? Then I'll still make my offer. You're free to come by anytime."

"Thank you. Please do a final check just to make sure I did it correctly. I'll take my leave now." I went back to my classroom. By the time I regained my composure lunch had already ended.

Afternoon classes ended quickly. I somehow managed to avoid the "new student attention" and went home quickly. I still hadn't memorized the route so far but it wouldn't hurt to check some places I can hang out in. As I look for such a place, I immediately remember the library. I decide to go home after that, since looking for a place while I'm in a foul mood would only sour my impressions.

As I take the train home, I realize a few things. I already made a few friends so school might not be so bad. But more importantly, the friend I made, Hose, he's perfect, honest and kind. Come to think of it, he's friends with both Cherry-san and Tsukimi-san. The student council president and a childhood friend...

I start sweating. Isn't Hose the type of person that I tried so hard to be?! What is this, divine intervention? God, are You trying to say that it really was possible?

I'm reminded again of the people I left behind. No, the people I never deserved to be with. My mood's turned awful again. But I do realize one thing. I was never cut out to be the "protagonist" or anything like that. I realize that now. In my new school, or even in my old school, I was never the "protagonist". At most, I'm just a side character, so it's not even worth trying anymore. Each time I try to a role not meant for me, I just end up being the only one hurt. I'll just let Hose have the story, I really couldn't care about being the main character anymore. I'll just try to be friends with them, but I won't get involved. Not anymore.

The next week, a new student transfers into our school.

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**A/N. Feel free to write your thoughts about the story below. It really gives me a boost knowing people care enough about the story to comment on it. Stay safe everyone.**


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